1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fiber optic telecommunications equipment and, in particular, to an adapter panel system that is configured to retain optical connectors to a chassis.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the telecommunications and data transmission industries, optical fibers, rather than metal cables, are used increasingly to transmit signals. The technology uses glass or plastic threads (fibers) to transmit data. A fiber optic cable consists of a bundle of threads, each of which is capable of transmitting messages modulated into light waves. Technologies that transmit data over metal cables, rather than fiber optic cables, transmit data in analog form. Fiber optic technology allows data to be transmitted digitally rather than anlogically. Fiber optic data transmissions, being digital, are in the natural form for computer-related data.
The use of optical fibers to transmit data in the telecommunications industry has grown dramatically in recent years. With the increased use of optical fiber transmission paths, the industry has experienced a dramatic need for new and improved ways to effect fiber optic connections and splices efficiently and with as little overhead costs as possible. This need becomes more critical and difficult to meet in newer systems that require increasingly large numbers of cables to be efficiently housed in a relatively small space. The difficulty is compounded by the fact that many systems for organizing fiber optic cables within a fiber optic telecommunications system were not designed with computer applications in mind.
Fiber optic telecommunications systems are being increasingly managed by computerized applications. The result is that many systems that were originally created for analog systems are not practical for computerized telecommunications systems. There is a need for a system of panels that retain fiber optic cable connectors in a configuration that is efficient, utilizes as little space as possible, and facilitates computerized applications related to fiber optic telecommunications.
A system of organizing optical connector adapters is presented. They system can utilize one or more panels that releasably retain optical connector adapters.
At least one embodiment of a connector retainer panel includes a planar frame having a front surface and a back surface. The frame defines a plural number of adapter openings, where the plural number is an integer power of 2. Each of the adapter openings can receive at least one connector adapter in a vertical orientation, where the adapter is any type of optical adapter that mates two connectors. The adapter openings are organized within the planar frame in a side-by-side orientation. At least one embodiment of the retainer panel includes a top surface and a bottom surface. A pair of mounting holes is provided in the retainer panel for each connector adapter that can be mounted in the panel. The first one of the pair of mounting holes is defined along the top surface, while the second of the pair of mounting holes is defined along the bottom surface.
A connector retainer system is also disclosed. The connector retainer system includes a chassis that holds a plurality of the retainer panels described above. The system includes a plurality of connector adapters, and a plurality of first and second mating connectors. The mating connectors are secured to the connector adapters so that the first mating connectors extend outwardly from the front surface of the frame at a substantially orthogonal angle and the second mating connectors extend outwardly from the back surface of the frame at a substantially orthogonal angle.
A method for providing a connector retainer system includes coupling a plurality of planar frames to a chassis in a top-to-bottom relation. The method further includes coupling a plurality of connector adapters, in a vertical orientation, to adapter openings within the planar frames, in a side-to-side relation. The method further includes coupling at least one set of first and second mating connectors to the plurality of connector adapters.
A system provides a plurality of planar frames for coupling a plural number of connector adapters together in a side-by-side relation in a vertical orientation, where the plural number of connector adapters is an integer power of 2. The system further provides a chassis means for coupling the plurality of frames together in a top-to-bottom orientation. The system further includes at least one means for joining two optical fibers.